Gas-purifier.



J. P. DOVEL;

GAS PURIFIBR. APPLIoATIoN FILED JULY 25, 190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITH/@555s l 2M ZY/VM, JAMAS POVE'L.

J. P. DGVEL.

GAS PURIFIB-R. APPLIUATION FILED JULY 25, 1008.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JamesPlDOvel.

Attornesj.

COLUMBIA PLANoGn/Pll C0.. WASHINGTON. n4 c.

NETE@ STAIRS PATENT FFfQE.

JAMES PICKERING DOVEL, OF NORTH BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

GAS-PURIFIER.

rooifrss.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns P. DovEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at North Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State ofAlabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gras-Purifiers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for purifying gases, andparticularly blast furnace gases before using the same in the gas stovesor boiler furnaces.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which will mosteffectively clean the gas with a minimum quantity of water and withoutinterfering with the free flow of the gas through the apparatus orcausing any material loss of its heat units. l/Y ith these objects inview I have conceived that if the gas be caused to flow in a thin sheetaround a baflie or partition so as to make a sharp turn, the cinders,and foreign matter in the gas will become centrifugally concentrated inthe outer stratum or surface of the gas, this concentration taking placeafter the gas has turnedan angle of approximately 90O or rounded thebaflie. If then this thin sheet of gas, with its foreign matterconcentrated in its outer surface, is caused to sweep over a sheet ofwater, it will most effectively rid itself of such foreign matter andflow from the cleaner freely and without appreciable loss of heat.

I have discovered that if a scum is allowed to accumulate upon thesurface of the water in the cleaner, it will materially interfere withthe action of the water in catching and holding the foreign matter inthe gas. This scum will form very rapidly upon water exposed for anytime to the gases, and, in fact, will often form almostinstantaneously.To avoid this objectionable condition and for the purpose of making allthe water used effective in cleaning the gases, I propose to use ashallow constantly flowing stream of water, thereby presentingcontinually a fresh surface of water to catch the foreign matter andeecting a great saving in water consumption.

It is only the surface of the water in the cleaner that is effective inmy type of gas cleaner, and therefore the deeper the stream the greaterthe unnecessary waste of water and it may be said that the quantity ofwater required for gas cleaners has prevented their extensive use inmany districts. To secure Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 25, 1908.

Patented Aug. 29, 1911..

Serial No. 445,414.

a shallow stream which will present the maximum surface of water atthedesired place, I have contracted the bottom of my cleaning casing andprovided on the outlet side a straight inclined wall disposedsubstantially at right angles to the plane of flow of the gases as theyround the baflie. The object of this arrangement is to present a flatsurface over which the small stream of water in the bottom of thecasingwill be spread out by the pressure of the gases as they impingeupon it, the area thus covered varying with the pressure of the gas sothat the .water automatically adjusts itself to the conditions of thegas to be treated. In my apparat-us the shallow flowing stream may besaid to line the casing at the point where the maximum wear would resultfrom the cinders and foreign matter, were the same allowed to strike themetal. rlhe stream of water is caused to flow with sufficient velocityto carry with it the foreign matter it collects, although when thecasing is elongated, as hereinafter described, pockets may be providedfor collecting the cinders and permitting same to be removed from pointsalong the casing.

A further object of my invention is to provide a purifier which willafford the maximum opportunity for the gravity deposit of cinder, dustor foreign matter in the gas, thus functioning as a dust catcher, andwhich will pass the gas in a thin sheet above a body of water with butlittle practical interference .with the free flow of the gases.

A yfurther object of my invention is to construct theA purifier so thatit will form the whole or a large portion of the gas main such as nowused to connect the stoves or boilers with the downcomer from thefurnace.

An important feature of my invention lies in the fact that the directionof flow of the gas in the purifier is but slightly changed, the gasHowing through the main at an acute angle from point of inlet under abaille to the discharging chamber.

Another feature is, that by conducting the purification of the gases ina main similar to those now used merely to convey the gases to theirwork, I secure not only a most eco nomical construction but also, whatis of the greatest importance, a minimum radiation loss over presentpractice.

A further obj ect of my invention is to provide a means for economicallvcarrying off the solid matter that may be extracted from the l gas.

In addition to the foregoing, my invention consists in the improveddetails of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed, reference being' had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of my improved gaspurifier connecting the downcomer from the furnace to the several stovesand boilers which are supplied with the purified gas. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the gas purifier broken away and showing the two endportions of the casing. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view along theline -x of F ig. 2.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings. V

As illustrated in the drawings, my improved gas purifier is connected tothe downcomer 1 of the furnace 2, and consists of an elongated oval oregg-shaped casing 3 subdivided into two longitudinal compartments by ahollow water cooled deiiector or baffle wall 4 formed by metal platesjoined along their bottom edges in a straight line and separating asthey approach the top of the main to which they are suitably connectedby angle irons 5, the plates being braced together at intervals bystaybolts. I lill the space between these plates with water, through anopening 6, thus giving a water cooled baille or deliector, whichprevents it warping or bulging under the action of the gases which enterthe compartment on one side of the baille, hereinafter referred to asthe receiving compartment, through the pipe 7 connected to thedowncomer 1. The baiiie Li extends to a point near the bottom of thecasing 3, which latter is lined on the inside with fire briclr or otherprotective substance 8. At the receiving end of the casing I provide awater inlet port 9, through which a supply of water is introduced intothe casing and caused to flow lengthwise thereof to the other end whereit is drawn off through a trap 10, which is water sealed to prevent theescape of the gases. The baille 4 extends down to within a few inches ofthe normal level of the water, this distance being such as to give anarea of clearance between the water and the baille substantially equalto the inlet area of the pipe 7. The casing is mounted on metal supports11 and disposed at an inclination su'liicient to provide for a flow ofthe water therethrough and carry 0E with the water a large percentage ofthe impurities collected thereby from the gases. In practice, the flowof the vgases transversely of the casing will cause them to impingeagainst the stream of water and, since the gases have a normal speed lofapproximately 600 feet a minute, it follows that the stream of waterwill be forced to the left so that it forms a shallow iowing streamwhich extends up along the bottom side walls of the left handcompartment. I propose to use water for cleaning in such a manner. thata small shallow stream thereof will act as effectively as a large bodyof still water, or an unnecessarily deep body of flowing water, incatching the dust, and also have the additional and important functionofk carrying out with it the dust which it catches. My apparatus willalso function as a dust catcher in that the heavier particles of ore,coke and other impurities entering the right hand compartment will dropto the bottom thereof by gravity as the gases flow lengthwise of thecasing and as there may be a considerable quantity of impurities in thegas, I make additional provision for relieving the casing of theseheavier impurities and to this end I provide the bottom of the casing atintervals with depressions or dust collecting hoppers 12 which areclosed at their lower ends by bells 13 connected to and held in positionto close the hoppers by levers 14E pivotally mounted on pins 15 andhaving counterbalance weights 16 at their outer ends. Below theseseveral hoppers I arrange an inclined trough 17 which extends the wholelength of the gas purifier and is disposed at such an inclination that,when the bells are lowered to permit the discharge of the solid matterwhich has accumulated in the hoppers above, such matter and the waterwhich is discharged with it will fall into the trough and flow to thelower end thereof, from which point it is carried off to any suitabledump through the pipe 16. The pins 15 are preferably supported by thetrough 17.

At any-desired points along the side of the compartment which receivesthe gas from the receiving compartment, I provide outlet ports 1S tolead the puriiied gases to the stoves 19 or boilers 2O as the case maybe. I also provide the trap 10 with a hopper and bell similar to 12 and13 to enable it also to be cleaned.

In operation, the gases flow through the downcomer and enter thepurifier at one end of the receiving compartment and passing under thebaille Li, they enter the other compartment from which they pass to thestoves or other use-. In doing this the gases flow on an average adistance equal to one-half of the length of said compartment, therebygiving a considerable opportunity for the gravity deposit of the cinderVand heavier particles of dust suspended therein. These heavierparticles work down along the lower right hand bottom portion of thecasing and accumulate in the hoppers from which they are cleaned out atintervals in the manner described. The gases as thus partially puriliedwill then pass from the receiving compartment to the left handcompartment byv flowing in a thin sheet under the lower edge of thebaffle l. In being thus deflected the thin sheet of gases are caused toimpinge against the shallow flowing stream of water which, due to theaction of the gases, is spread over the left handy inclined wall of thecasing, thereby forming a shallow flowing sheet of water of considerablesurface over which the gases, also in a thin sheet, flow, passing in adirection at angles to the direction of flow of the water, so that ane'ective sweeping contact between the flowing sheets of gas and water isobtained without, however, causing the gases to pass into or through thewater. The lighter impurities are caught by the flowing stream of waterand are carried out with it. This gives an exceedingly effectivepurification of the gas without retarding its flow or causing it to passthrough a body of water with the objectionable features which arisethere from. It will be evident that the casing 3 may be so extended asto form in ei'l'ect the main from the downcomer to the several points ofconsumption for the purified gas, thereby enabling the purifier to bein` stalled at but very little more cost than the present large mainswhich are used for this purpose and to be operated with but littlegreater radiation losses. It will also be observed that all of thecinder and solid matter extracted from the gas is carried oit' bygravity, thus effecting a material saving in furnace operation. It willalso be evident that the apparatus will present a mini.- niuminterference to the flow of the gases since the opening betweencompartments may be adjusted to the particular needs of differentinstallations and may be regulated by increasing the volume of thestream of flowing water and thereby reducing the clearance between itslevel and the lower edge of the baiiie.

rIhe contracted nature of the bottom of the casing is of advantage wherean, economy of water consumption is required, but the more importantfeature is the provision of the wall on the outlet side of the casinghaving a requisite inclination and juxtaposition to the baille to causethe water to be spread over it in a thin sheet when the fiowing gasesimpinge thereon. Vhere the gases have been partially cleaned by beingpassed through one or more dust catchers before entering the receivingcompartment, the flow of water alone will be suflicient to cleanand-carry ed the impurities caught thereby, and in such cases thehoppers may be dispensed with. The advantage w iich I have derived fromthe centrifugal accumulation of the dust in the lower stratum of theflowing stream of gas is of considerable importance and to obtain thesame it is obviously necessary that the gases should not enter the waterbut should pass through a clearance left between the water and thebaffle, and also that the turn which the gases make should be relativelysharp, thereby effecting the centrifugal accumulation 0f the dust.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a gas cleaning apparatus, a casing having an inclined water wayand means to cause a stream of water to fiow along said way, a baffle inthe casing which is disposed above said stream in the direction of itsflow with its bottom edge above the water line of the stream, and meansto cause a body of gas to flow through the casing and to pass under saidbaffle and sweep across the surface of the stream of water,substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. In a gas cleaning apparatus, a casing having gas and water inlet andoutlet ports and having a stream of water flowing therethrough, bafflemeans above said stream to spread the gas flowing between it and saidstream into a thin sheet, a portion of the casing adjacent to saidstream co-acting with the flowing gases to produce an eX- tended shallowwater surface over which the gases sweep with surface contact only, andmeans `to cause the water forming said water surface to constantly flowthrough said casing, substantially as described.

3. In a gas cleaning apparatus, a casing having gas inlet and outletports and a partition so disposed that the gas in passing through saidcasing iiows in a thin sheet around said partition, a substantiallystraight inclined wall against which said gases iinpinge after roundingsaid partition, and means to provide a constantly changing body ofwashing fluid along the lower portion of said wall and below saidpartition, substantially as described.

el. A. gas cleaning apparatus comprising a casing divided into gas inletand outlet compartments by a partition under which the gases are causedto flow, means to cause a stream of water to flow along under saidpartition leaving a clearance for the flow of the gases, and means toincrease the surface area of said water which means involve acontracting of the bottom of the casing along which the water tends toflow, and the provision of a sharply inclined side wall on the outletside ofthe casing, which wall is juxtaposed to the said partition andinclirfed away therefrom so that the water is driven along up saidsurface by the gases, substantially as described.

5. A gas washer comprising a casing, a deflector therein around whichthe gas flows unobstructedly in a thin sheet, walls of said casing whichcause said sheet of gas to make a sharp turn in rounding said deflector,and means to line with a shallow sheet of cleaning liquid that portionof said walls which receives the impact of the gas as it rounds thebaffle.

G. In a gas cleaning apparatus, a casing having a contracted bottom,means to cause a stream of water to flow along said bottom, a partitionwall which overhangs said bottom leaving an elongated clearance betweenits lower edge and said stream of water, said casing having inlet andoutlet openings for the gases on opposite sides of said part-ition andhaving a steeply inclined wall leading up from said bottom andjuxtaposed to said partition so that the stream of water is spread outover its lower portion by said gases, substantially as described.

7. A gas washing device comprisinga casing having its lower inclinedside walls angularly disposed to form a trough-like bottom forcontaining the washing liquid, a partition thereabove and positioned toprovide a gas passage above the liquid, and adapted to so direct the gasflow as to spread out the washing liquid in a thin layer upon one ofsaid side walls.

8. A gas washing device comprising a casing having its lower inclinedside walls angularly disposed to form a trough-like bottom forcontaining the washing liquid, a partition thereabove and positioned toprovide a gas passage above the liquid, and adapted to so direct the gasflow as to spread out the washing liquid in a thin layer upon one ofsaid side walls, and means for creating a flow of washing liquid throughthe casing in a shallow stream lengthwise of said partition.

9. l'n an apparatus for cleaning gas, a casing having a contractedbottom and gas inlet and outlet ports near its top, a partitioninterposed between said ports and extending down to a point near thecontracted bottom to cause the gases to flow down and with a sharp turnpass under said partition and tiowup to said outlet port, and means tomaintain a shallow surface of washing fluid over that portion of thebottom of the casing against which the foreign matter in the gases wouldimpinge when thrown to the outer surface thereof by centrifugal forcegenerated in rounding said partition, substantially as described.

'10. A gas washer comprising a casing, the upper cross section of whichis described by the greater part of a large circle and the boti tom partby the lesser part of a relatively smaller circle, the parts beingjoined by inclined side walls which are common tangents to said circles,means to cause a stream of water to iiow through said trough, and aballie to deflect the gases on said stream of water, while leaving asubstantially uniform clearance between said baffle and stream offlowing water, substantially as described. y

11. ln an apparatus for cleaning furnace gases, means serving as aconduit for the gases from the furnace to the points of use and providedwith a longitudinal partition extending from the top to a point near thebottom, means to pass a shallow flowing body of water through said pipeand maintain its level slightly below the lower edge of the saiddivision wall, the inlet opening for the gas into said pipe beingdisposed on one side of said partition and the outlet opening oropenings on the other side of said partition so that said gas flowstransversely of the pipe and in a direction at angles to the flow of thewater, and means to remove the solid matter accumulating in the bottomof said pipe at dierent points throughout the length thereof.

l2. The combination with a furnace and its downcomer, of an elongatedconduit into which said downcomer discharges and which serves as a meansto convey the gases to the points of use, said conduit having its lowerwalls inclined to form a trough-like bottom and having a flowing body ofwater in said bottom thereof, a series of valve controlled dischargeopenings along the bottom for the removal of the solid matteraccumulating in said water, and a longitudinal battle eX- tending fromthe top to a point near the water level therein and dividing saidconduit into two distinct compartments, one of which receives theunpurified gases and the other of which receives the purified gaseswhich become purified in passing under said baffle and over said body ofwater, the surface area of which is increased by the action of saidgases, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES PICKERNG DOVEL.

Vitnesses:

HoMnR VnLsr-r, ANN-1n L. PEACE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for vecents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

